A Close Shave Adaption
by Goldsaddletank
Summary: (Adaption of the episode requested by tate310) After helping Edward at Wellsworth, Duck is in for a nasty shock when some trucks break away, leaving it up to him to save James.


Duck steamed into Wellsworth Station. He was very upset and cross with Diesel.

"It's not fair!" He complained. "Diesel has been telling lies about me and made the other engines as well as the Fat Controller think that I'm a horrid engine and that I've been telling the trucks silly rumours about Gordon, James and Henry. Now I've been sent away from the yard!"

Edward felt sorry for his friend.

"I know you're not horrid, Duck, and the Fat Controller knows it too." He said. "just wait and see. In the meantime, why don't you lend me a buffer with these trucks?"

Duck felt much better working with Edward, and he was more than happy to help his friend with shunting the Troublesome Trucks. It was hard work, as the trucks decided to live up to their reputation and were soon causing trouble, but at last the two engines managed to get the job done and reached the top of Gordon's Hill.

"Peep! Peep! Goodbye Edward!" Duck tooted, and he set off down the hill. He loved rolling down the hill with the wind whistling past him and feeling the coolness on his smokebox.

He was just beginning to hum a jovial tune when he and his crew heard a loud shrill blast of a guard's whistle.

"That's odd," The driver noted. "That sounds like a guard's whistle, but we haven't got a guard." He looked out from behind Duck's cab, and he was alarmed.

"Hurry Duck, hurry! There's a runaway train of trucks heading towards us!"

"Oh goodness!" Duck exclaimed, and he sped up, just as the trucks sped o towards the Great Western tank engine.

"Chase him, bump him, throw him off the rails!" The trucks chorused in a jeer, racing on still.

"Keep going Duck!" His driver cheered. "Another solid mile, and we'll have it under control- oh glory, look!"

James was leaving the station ahead of them with a passenger train, and he was heading on their line! There would be a collision!

"It's all up to you now, Duck." His driver warned.

Duck didn't hesitate and as the driver applied his brakes, and the fireman shut off steam, their locomotive used every ounce of both steam and weight to slow the trucks down and avoid hitting James and his train.

"Oh no, it's too late!" Duck gasped, and shut his eyes. He felt a sharp swerve beneath his wheels and his driver and fireman watched as Duck rolled down a siding, and sped on towards a barber's shop at the end of the siding!

Duck's crew battled with the controls to slow him down, but when it proved futile, they quickly jumped clear – just in time to watch Duck crash right into the barber's wall!

...

One customer, who was being shaved, jumped in his seat in fright at the sight of a Great Western engine popping through the wall, and the others were equally alarmed by the sight, but the barber was very cross.

"Beg pardon sir!" Duck gasped. "Please excuse the intrusion, and the mess."

"No I wouldn't! You have scared my customers and ruined my shop wall! This'll teach you!" He lathered Duck's face all over.

Poor Duck felt terrible.

...

Later, Thomas was helping to clean up the mess when the Fat Controller arrived.

"I do not like engines barging into my shop!" The barber fumed. "My customers have never been so frightened!"

"I appreciate your concerns, and I will gladly see to it that your shop is mended. But, my good man, this engine here, along with his crew, has prevented a very serious accident which could have had people injured. He was very brave."

"I was?" Duck asked in surprise. He hadn't expected that.

"Oh goodness gracious!" The barber murmured. "I am terribly sorry- I didn't realise that you were a brave engine."

"Don't feel bad sir. I never realised it either." Duck puffed.

"Well, you were Duck, and I'm very proud of you and your crew." The Fat Controller praised warmly. "I shall send you to the Works to have you mended and cleaned, and then you can come home."

"Home- you mean the yard, sir?" Duck asked in surprise.

"Of course." The Fat Controller smiled.

"But sir, they don't me now – they prefer Diesel." The green pannier tank engine told him dully.

"No they don't. I never believed Diesel's atrocious lies, and he was caught lying about henry." The Fat Controller told him. "I've sent him away. The other engines miss you Duck. They are very sorry and want you home."

...

And the Fat Controller was right – Diesel was indeed gone from the yard when Duck returned a few days later; Gordon Henry and James all apologised for accusing Duck of spreading stories, which Duck forgave; and best of all; the engines gave Duck the Great Western Engine a warm and rousing welcome home.


End file.
